1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ice making machines, and more particularly to an ice making machine having a feed water receptacle and a drain receptacle within a housing thereof so that it can be installed any where that is desired, irrespective of availability of a water source.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is generally known in the art, an ice making machine is used to make ice by freezing water supplied to the machine from an external source. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional ice making machine, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,243.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional ice making machine comprises a housing 10 and a freezing unit 20.
The housing 10 includes an ice bin 11 disposed therein to store ice pieces formed in the freezing unit 20. A cooling system 30 including a compressor 31 and a condenser 32 is provided below the ice bin 11. A water supply pipe 12 for supplying water to the freezing unit 20 and a drain pipe 13 for discharging unfrozen water to the outside of housing 10 are connected to the housing 10. The water supply pipe 12 extends and is connected to the freezing unit 20 from an external water supply line (not shown). The drain pipe 13 extends and is connected to an external drainage (not shown) from a water collecting section 14 disposed in the ice bin 11.
As shown in FIG. 2, the freezing unit 20 includes a water tray 21, a freezing base plate 22 and an evaporator 23. The water tray 21 is coupled to a supporting member 25 pivotably supported by a pivotal shaft 24. Preferably, the water tray 21 has a rocking plate 26 therein. The supporting member 25 pivots on the pivotal shaft 24 and is controlled by the rotation of an actuator motor AM so that the water tray 24 can be tilted downward at a predetermined angle to discharge any unfrozen water remaining therein. The rocking plate 26 is rocked upward and downward by the rotation of a rocking motor RM, thereby rocking the water contained in the water tray 21 and removing any air bubbles that may be present in the water. Also, a water chute 27 is integrally formed at the bottom of the water tray 21 to deliver the water discharged from the water tray 21 to the water collecting section 14.
A plurality of freezing fingers 28 protrude downwardly from the lower surface of the freezing base plate 22 and are used for dipping in the water carried in the water tray 21 so as to form and gradually grow ice pieces around them.
The evaporator 23 is formed on the upper surface of the freezing base plate 22 and is connected to the cooling system 30. Compressed refrigerant flows into the evaporator 23 and carries out a heat exchange process so as to cool the freezing base plate 22 and the freezing fingers 28.
Hereinafter, the operation of a conventional ice making machine having the above-mentioned structure will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
When water is supplied to the water tray 21 through the water supply pipe 12, the freezing fingers 28 are dipped into the water and are then cooled to a temperature below the freezing point by the heat exchange process with the refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 23 so that the water in the tray 21 will be frozen to form ice pieces around the freezing fingers 28. At this time, the rocking motor RM rotates to rock the rocking plate 26 in the upward and downward directions, thereby removing any air bubbles that may be present in the water.
Upon completion of the formation of the ice pieces having a predetermined size around the freezing fingers 28, the rocking plate 26 stops its rocking motion. Also, the refrigerant, after warming from its freezing function, is discharged directly from the compressor 31, without going through the condenser 32, and is supplied to the evaporator 23 to slightly heat up and thereby release the ice pieces from the freezing fingers 28 into the ice bin 11. The water tray 21 is then tilted, together with the supporting member 25, by the rotation of the actuator motor AM. Accordingly, any water remaining unfrozen in the water tray 21 flows along the water chute 27 and is discharged into the water collecting section 14.
However, such a conventional ice making machine can only be located at places where it can be connected to an external water supply line for supplying water to the freezing unit and where drainage for discharging a great amount of unfrozen water is available.